Tigers, Wildcats both playing better since earlier encounter

MANHATTAN, Kan. -- Much has changed since Kansas State and Missouri last met on Jan. 13 in Columbia, Mo.

Going into that game, both teams were winless in the Big 12.

The Wildcats, under coach Bob Huggins, won 85-81 and haven't lost since, compiling a five-game overall winning streak that's run their record to 15-6 overall and 4-2 in the league and sparked talk among fans of a possible NCAA playoff berth.

Missouri, under first-year head coach Mike Anderson, went on to lose their next two and fall to 0-4 in the Big 12, before winning two straight.

When the two old rivals from Big Eight days have their rematch tonight in Bramlage Coliseum, they'll have a lot more to play for than anyone three weeks ago would have guessed.

In their most recent game, the Tigers (13-6, 2-4 Big 12) beat what everyone considered the hottest team in the conference, a Bob Knight-coached Texas Tech squad coming off wins over No. 6 Kansas and No. 10 Texas A&M.

"One of the things in conference play is you've got to go with more urgency," said Anderson. "We're starting to see more of that now. Not just the last two games. In the Kansas game, I thought we played with a sense of urgency that allows us to have a chance to win."

Kansas State has reeled off wins over Baylor, Iowa State and Nebraska since its trip to Columbia, giving the Wildcats their first four-game conference win streak since the Big 12 was formed. Throw in a rout of Illinois State and Kansas State takes a five-game winning spree into their 8 p.m. tipoff against the Tigers.

Defense is what Huggins' Wildcats do best. Jason Bennett, their 7-foot-3 freshman, had one game where he blocked a school-record eight shots. The team total of 91 blocks is just four short of what Kansas State had all last season. Bennett's 41 blocks have already shattered the team freshman record.

Stretching the defense will be Missouri guard Stefhon Hannah, averaging almost 16 points and five assists per game. He's certain to get plenty of attention from the expected sellout crowd after committing to Kansas State this year but changing his mind after his mom told him she would prefer to have him play for the Tigers.

Against the Wildcats at home, Hannah had one of his poorer games, scoring just seven points.

But on Monday, he was chosen the Big 12 rookie of the week for the third time this season after averaging 14.5 points and 4.5 assists in back-to-back victories.

"My biggest concern was the defensive side of the ball, but he's focusing more on defense and not necessarily just trying to steal the basketball," Anderson said.

"Also, he's having a better understanding of what I want him to do: to trust his teammates. He can score. But the greatest players in basketball are guys who distribute the ball, make the great pass. So he's learning to trust his teammates."

In their first meeting with Missouri, the Tigers showed Anderson flashes of the urgency he has been trying to install.

"I thought we did at times," Anderson said. "We got the game going the way we wanted to, but they were able to hold us off. Hopefully, we're a lot better than we were at that time and they are, too. They're playing very well."